Posts Tagged ‘Psagot’

Quality Israeli wines used to only come from the Golan Heights, an area reminiscent of Sonoma County, California. But as different regions of the country have been busy developing their own unique brands and tastes, it appears that a renaissance of sorts has been taking place in the largest wine growing region, the Shomron, or Samaria, where Israelite kings and prophets used to roam the earth and, very likely, sample the local wines.

It turns out that, in recent years, the Shomron has produced a disproportionate number of award winning wines from its relatively young vineyards and abundance of boutique wineries.

The foundation of the Shomron wine taste comes down to the high altitude, the humid and warm climate and the heavy and limey soil. Ah, and there’s the breeze, blowing in from the sea and gliding off the Carmel Mountains.

Frankly, there are probably some secular Israelis, alas, who couldn’t care less whether this sacred land would go into someone else’s hands or stay Jewish. But giving up this amazing wine country—same as in the Golan—would be unthinkable to many of them.

Now, whatever your political views, if you wish to find out for yourself what’s the big deal about Shomron wines – they’re coming to New York, this Sunday.

A Wine Tasting Reception is planned for 6:30 PM, following Sunday’s Israel Advocacy Conference at the West Side Institutional Synagogue (the original location was the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue—it’s been changed).

West Side Institutional Synagogue

120 West 76th Street

(212) 877-7652

Many of the featured wines have only limited availability in the U.S., because of politics—the boycotts on products from the wrong side of the 1949 armistice border also known as the “green line.” So Sunday’s reception is sure to draw enthusiasts of both great wines and of Israel, eager to taste and assortment of wines that consistently score at 90 and above.

Featured producers include Arnon, Mount Blessing, Psagot, Shiloh and Tura wineries, which have together brought attention and acclaim to this region by winning multiple high-level awards in the Vinalies, Zarcillo, Terravino, and Eshkol Ha’zahav competitions.

Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who has vowed that a new Arab state within Israel’s borders will keep Israel secure, demands that the IDF stop entering Arab-controlled cities.

Israeli soldiers do not visit Shechem and Jenin to buy cheap vegetables. They enter to arrest terrorists, while the PA security forces give out parking tickets, try to catch criminals and occasionally search for rival terrorists from Islamic Jihad and Hamas. The Palestinian Authority almost never arrests terrorists belonging to the ”military branch” of the ruling Fatah party.

Abbas has done an incredible job on the international diplomatic front since taking over from Yasser Arafat nine years ago next month. He has painstakingly built up a world-wide image of Israel as an Occupier and Palestinian Authority Arabs as innocent victims.

But on the ground, nothing is moving.

He insists on all of his demands, including a total withdrawal of the IDF while claiming that his security forces will protect Israel.

Abbas told visiting Knesset Members two days ago that security coordination with Israel “has reached the highest point” but in the same breath demanded that the Israeli military stay out of areas where the PA is supposed to maintain security.

Just about the same time he was speaking, the IDF arrested two brothers who are suspected of shooting at a nine-year-old in Psagot, next to Ramallah, Saturday night.

As for the attack, whether he did not did not condemn it demands on what website you read.

Here is how Ynet headlined its article this week: “Abbas Condemns Attack on Israeli Girl.”

That is not a misleading headline; it simply is wrong.

The text of the article states that he told the visiting MKs, “We oppose, on principle, aggression against anyone, and the spilling of blood.” That is a broad generalization that makes no reference to any specific attack. There also was no reference to a Facebook posting on Fatah’s official Facebook page that praised the sniper on Psagot.

The same article in Ynet reported Abbas’ reaction to the IDF’s arrest of suspected terrorists, who carry out attacks that he opposes “in principle.”

He said, “The Israeli army’s incursions are unjustified. There’s security coordination with us, so why carry out these raids that harm (our efforts)? Seven years ago we began security cooperation (with Israel),” which he said has reached “100 percent.”

To this day, Abbas has not condemned two murders of Israelis soldiers last month at the hands of Palestinian Authority terrorists, nor has he explained why his security forces did not arrest the perpetrators, let alone prevent the attacks.

Meanwhile, the PA propaganda machine is running in high gear. The Bethlehem-based Ma’an News Agency reported on the MKs’ visit by quoting senior Fatah party official Mohammed Al-Madani as saying that “the Palestinian side denounced the attack in Psagot settlement, the killing in Hebron, the murder in Kalandiya refugee camp and the Israeli incursions into Palestinian cities and the ongoing settler assaults against our people.”

There is a big difference between what Abbas said and what someone said he said. Ynet did not report any such condemnation, except for its wrong headline. Nor did the Jerusalem Post, which reported that all Abbas said concerning the attempted murder of the girl in Psagot was, “Two days ago a girl was shot or stabbed. That is not the topic of discussion for today. Four Palestinians were killed in Kalandiya, too. We should all condemn murder and bloodshed of innocents.”

Abbas also made sure to welcome his Knesset guests without displaying the Israeli flag.

Instead, he outlined why there is no peace with Israel, which he said must stop “settlers” from attacking Arabs, must not pray at the Temple Mount, and must not build in “settlements.”

If Israel simply would cooperate and believe Abbas that he wants peace by not recognizing Israeli as a Jewish state, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama can laugh all the way to the Nobel Peace Prize.

There is just one big problem for Abbas with this scenario: It won’t happen.

Noam Glick (Noam bat Michal), the 9 year old girl shot in the Psagot terror attack on Saturday night, is currently listed in an improved light to medium condition following her surgery at Sha’arei Tzedek hospital.

Doctors were initially unsure if she was stabbed or shot based on her wounds. But with the discovery of the improvised gun that appears to have been used to shoot her in the shoulder/neck and through the back, it is clear why the weapon type was not immediately clear.

At one point, residents of the town reported that the terrorist was captured, but the IDF is currently stating that the terrorist escaped into a nearby village.

UPDATES BELOW. Saturday night 9:40PM: A 9 year old girl in the town of Psagot, near Kochav Yaakov in the Binyamin region, has been shot in the chest, in what is apparently a terror attack. Medics are working to save her life.

1:28 AM (Sunday) IDF will soon begin allowing Psagot residents stuck outside the town to go home. Each resident will need to show ID, and will be brought in by an IDF armored vehicle. Private cars will need to stay outside.

11:37 PM Psagot Security forces captured one terrorist inside the town, according to town residents.

11:33 PM UNCONFIRMED Terrorist may have been captured inside the town of Psagot.

11:26 PM IDF pursuit has now entered Ramallah, in coordination with PA police.

11:15 PM New reports of shooting at a IDF officer (not policeman) on a motorcycle between Psagot and Beit El. No injuries.

11:09 PM Arab sources report IDF inside Al-Birah, next to Psagot, where it is believed the terrorist came from. Arab sources claim they hear exchange of gunfire.

11:02 PM IDF has found the hole in the fence the terrorist apparently used to enter the town.

10:51 PM Girl was initially treated by her neighbor, the Jerusalem MDA director. He received phone call from MDA that there was a shooting in Psagot, and realized it was his neighbors house.

10:41 PM The girl saw the shooter. He shot her with a rifle.

10:37 PM IDF going house to house in Psagot to make sure terrorist is not inside any home. Instructions to residents: If you hear knocking on your door, do not open the door. Answer from within the house.

10:33 PM The IDF is treating situation under assumption that the terrorist is still inside the town. Residents have been told to remain indoors with windows and doors locked. Personal weapons on hand.

Noam’s parents are with her in the hospital.

10:24 PM Tazpit News Agency reports: The girl is currently in the Sha’arei Tzedek trauma center. She was shot in the shoulder, near the neck. The bullet exited her back. She is conscious.

For prayers, her name is Noam bat Michal / Noam Glick.

10:14 PM Tazpit News Agency reports that there is an initial, unconfirmed report that the shooter wore a black ski mask, and shot the girl from the steps of the house. IDF is checking for snipers. The house faces the Arab village of El-Birah.

10:00 PM Emergency teams on site.

9:56 PM There is currently an additional siren going off in Psagot. Details still unclear.